BOXING DAY FOOTBALL AT ST. JAMES'S PARK
Watford Beaten: City Seize Opportunities

EXETER CITY 4 WATFORD 1.

The holiday crowd of about six thousand at St. James's Park saw the Grecians conquer Watford after a fast game. Rigby won the toss and elected to play towards the railway end, and Watford had to kick off facing a glaring sun. The ground was in a slippery and treacherous condition, partly frozen over.

CITY

Pym

Marshall Strettle

Rigby Lagan Smith

Holt Hunter Goodwin(W) Lovett Dockray

Referee:- Mr C.W.Gillett, of London.

WATFORD

Waterall Green McLaughlan Edmonds Hastings
Gregory(F) Kennedy Gregory(V)

Stewart Bulling

Williams

Many periods of the game produced exciting football, both sets of forwards displaying amazing speed on the treacherous ground.

During the early stages Watford played splendidly, and the first exciting incident was the robbing of Pym by Green, but the ball, fortunately for Exeter, was driven outside the empty goal. Following this came some capital moves by the Exeter forwards, culminating in Dockray scoring after ten minutes. Dockray nipped in and dispossessed Williams, who was on the ground. Williams, who had complained during the morning of sickness, had to leave his charge, and McLaughlan went into goal.

Watford, though with only four forwards, were determined, and Green cleverly engineered an opening for Edmonds to equalise.

After a brief absence Williams resumed, and straightaway was in action saving from Lovett. Lagan, who was playing a powerful game at centre half, kicked away a centre from Waterall. Hunter dashed off on Exeter's right, but his centre was headed out by Bulling, and Watford moved forward. Hastings eluded Strettle and passed inside to Edmonds, who ballooned the ball over the bar. Near the interval the City at last showed their true form, and took control of the game, two goals being scored in the space of a minute.

Williams did well to get to a rising ball from Dockray, but an effective clearance was not made and Lovett gained possession to shoot quickly into the net. Dockray was also the leader in Exeter's third goal. Williams punched his centre out, but Billy Goodwin, jumping high, diverted the leather into the net with a beautiful header.

The pace had been fast, but there was little slackening after the interval. Kennedy, who had been temporarily absent because of injury in the Christmas Day match, was hurt in a collision with Lagan. and for the second time in two days Watford were reduced to ten men. Williams saved from Hunter, Lovett hit the post, and Hunter, with another individual dash, got through but his shot went over the bar. Watford changed the venue for a time, and in a hot raid on the City goal Marshall came to the rescue with a splendid tackle on McLaughlan.

A Series of Mishaps.

Injuries were sustained by Bulling and Hunter, both falling heavily. They were assisted off, and though they returned Hunter soon left again. Both sides were now down to ten men, Kennedy being still absent. It was learned that Hunter had wrenched his knee in the collision with Bulling.

Goodwin netted but the point was disallowed. Centres which came in from Waterall and Hastings in turn fell on top of the net, and Kennedy, who now returned to the field, shot wide. In the last few minutes Dockray led several raids on the visitors' goal, and eventually Goodwin converted one of his centres.

It was a hard game throughout, and Exeter won by opportunism. Dockray gave a most brilliant exhibition, andBulling and Val Gregory were literally run off their legs. The rest of the line were in splendid fettle, and Billy Goodwin's two goals were obtained with characteristic coolness. Lagan was a veritable tower of strength at centre half.

CITY RESERVES 

At Home Park the City Reserves were defeated by the Argyle Reserves in a friendly match, two goals to nil.

Argyle:- Langworthy; Cowan, Campbell; Pethick, Durnin, Nelson; Gosling, Smith, Rutter, Siddall, and Kellock.

City:-​Loram; Brown, Lovell; Cox, Pratt, Evans; Russell,Barker, Griffiths, Addicott, and Cowie.